Elliott Aviation completes the retrofit of HomeSafe™ emergency autoland systems on TBM 940 very fast turboprop aircraft that were delivered in the U.S. market during 2019/2020, prior to airworthiness certification of this functionality. The 29 TBM 940s had been sold in the U.S. with HomeSafe included as part of the original system/equipment list, and the post-delivery installation work was performed by Elliott Aviation at its Moline, IL, facility.

Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, announces the 400th Bell 505 delivery to European customer Al Barratt, who joined by the Bell leadership team to receive the customized Bell 505 at a delivery ceremony at Bell’s Mirabel, Canada, facility. Barratt is co-founder of Grenade and owner of Cotswold Aviation, both based in the United Kingdom.

Safran Helicopter Engines signs a contract with the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) to support the engines of its NH90 fleet operated by the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). This Support-By-the-Hour military (SBH®) contract formalizes a long-term maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) and services agreement supporting a total of 21 RTM322 engines.

London’s Air Ambulance Charity (LAAC), the helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) for the UK’s capital, orders two Airbus H135 helicopters for the renewal of its fleet under a contract signed at the Farnborough International Airshow.

S.A.F.E. Structure Designs announces it will hold a technical briefing at APSCON 2022 in Reno, NV, on Fri., July 29, at 12:00 noon. This briefing will discuss the safety challenges of maintenance personnel and how the correct support equipment can reduce injuries to personnel and prevent damage to the aircraft. SAFE provides maintenance support equipment and resources to all sectors of aviation, including military, public service and commercial.

Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, announces the selection of three new Bell 429 helicopters for the Queensland Police Service’s POLAIR fleet. The aircraft, which will be an expected delivery of fourth quarter 2023, will be used to patrol southeast Queensland and support crime-fighting efforts in the community.

Vita Inclinata (Vita), developer and producer of precision aerospace and industrial stabilization devices, announces the completion of its Vita Rescue System (VRS) demonstration to Squadron 751 at Air Base #6 in Portugal. The VRS litter attachment demonstration in Portugal underscores the global interest — and need — to improve the safety and efficiency of helicopter hoist rescues.

Utilizing the latest additive manufacturing equipment and materials, Alpine Aerotech successfully designs and produces a user-friendly hanger to stow headsets inside the cabin of most aircraft.

Heavy-lift helicopter pioneer Columbia Helicopters announces it has sold two Columbia CH-47D Chinook helicopters to ROTAK Helicopter Services of Anchorage, AK. The helicopters include Columbia’s original equipment manufacturer (OEM) safety modifications, as well as firefighting and external-load modifications. As a part of the sale, Columbia will also provide full lifecycle sustainment and airworthiness and technical publication services for the aircraft.

The Vertical Aviation Safety Team (VAST), Helicopter Association International (HAI), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the United States Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) together will host the 2022 VAST Global Conference, Oct. 4-6, 2022, at the Hurst Conference Center in the Fort Worth suburb of Hurst, TX. The conference is an outgrowth of the FAA International Rotorcraft Safety Conferences first held in 2015.